Rapid technological development not only fuels business innovation, but also disrupts traditional business models. In order to keep pace with the latest technology trends, businesses must employ the right professionals who combine technology expertise with business acumen. Unfortunately, corporations often lack this kind of talent to help make the right technology decisions and avoid costly and potentially disastrous mistakes. According to the Global Knowledge 2017 IT Skills and Salary Report, there are significant skills shortages in key ICT sectors, such as, security and cloud computing. These findings highlight the difficulties that recruiters face in times where the demand for ICT talent far exceeds the supply. Scouting, recruiting and retaining talent in such a competitive environment is a challenge; however, the criticality of it calls for a contingency plan to build a pipeline of professionals that can boost the future of businesses and the economy in the digital age.
With ICT talent shortages affecting entire industries, what should companies do in order to close the gap and build expertise? Below are some key suggestions to improve your workforce strategy and step up your game:
- Get involved in the talent ecosystem
Do not limit yourself to your office reality, but rather engage with the global talent arena instead. Connect with ICT academies, educational institutions, government organizations and experts. The global leader in ICT, Huawei, is addressing the talent shortage by offering apprenticeships and on-going training within their Talent Ecosystem, to help all professionals gain experience and learn. The Huawei Talent Ecosystem has expanded to over 300 ICT academies worldwide, with the goal of expanding to more than 500 academies in 2018.
- Set certifications as part of the performance goals for your employees
Constant training is vital for both employer and employee in order to get ahead and stay ahead. So, keep your workforce updated on the latest developments through classes, certifications, and conferences. With the tech landscape changing rapidly, companies should encourage ongoing education and exploration. Certification programs are the corner stone for validating technical proficiency, as well as one’s ability to perform on the job and add value to the company. Ongoing Training and Certifications should be obligatory for ICT experts to improve their knowledge, increase their responsibilities and advance their career.
- Focus on the Cloud
Undeniably, the cloud is the driving force in digital transformation: IDC predicts that by 2020, 67% of all enterprise IT infrastructure and software spending will be on cloud-based offerings. As cloud computing skills are in ever-increasing demand, Huawei, as a global ICT leader, steps up to the challenge by providing a comprehensive certification program for Cloud Computing technology. “To address the global demand for ICT talent, Huawei is launching a new certification program for network and cloud architecture. It is the first industry certification program that is converging Information and Communication Technology (IT and CT), and includes the development of Operation & Management (O&M) skills. Ultimately it creates an industry-level ICT-talent certification benchmark that will lead talent from a technology-focused certification to a high-end enterprise-level certification.” said Sun Maolu, President of the Huawei Enterprise Service Department, during Huawei Connect. The recently introduced cloud computing certification program includes HCIE-Cloud and is available worldwide. Its objective is to eliminate the “cloud” talent shortage and help business and government organizations successfully manage their Digital Transformation.
HESSun Maolu, giving a speech during Huawei Connect
- Cast a wider net: training and certifications are intended for anyone
Organizations have a tendency to hire professionals with conventional qualifications, such as a computer science degree. If tech businesses want to attract top graduates, they should be open up to candidates whose skills could bring fresh ideas to the business and emphasize that working in technology is also about imagination and curiosity for innovation, not just analytical thinking. Professionals with these traits can rapidly learn the technology, making them invaluable assets for a world that thrives on technological innovation and creativity. Huawei has established relationships with hundreds of educational institutions, and invested in academic resources, so that training your employees is easier than ever. So never underestimate anyone with passion for technology and never neglect investing in your present and future employees, because in the end, we are only as good as the people we develop.
Huawei Enterprise Service, a global ICT service provider, is using its broad experience to help speed the digital transformation in diverse sectors for nearly every kind of company. Huawei services include advisory, planning, design, implementation, operation, optimization, technical support, and training, for the benefit of our channel partners and customers. For more information go to http://e.huawei.com/en/services or contact your local Huawei Service Representatives or Certified Service Partner.